Blog Archive

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Salman Khan

Salman Khan (born Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan on 27 December 1965) is an Indian film actor. He has appeared in more than 80 Hindi films. Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), for which he won a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. He went on to star in some of Hindi cinema's most successful films of those times, such as Saajan (1991), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Judwaa (1997), Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998) and Biwi No.1 (1999), having appeared in the highest earning films of seven separate years during his career. In 1999, Khan won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his extended appearance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and since then has starred in several critical and commercial successes, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Tere Naam (2003), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), No Entry (2005), Partner (2007), Wanted (2009) and Dabangg (2010), which has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all-time. Khan has thus established himself as one of the most prominent, leading, and successful actors of Hindi cinema.

Khan is the eldest son of screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma (maiden name Sushila Charak), his paternal grandfather came to India from Afghanistan and settled in Madhya Pradesh whereas his mother is a Marathi Brahmin. His stepmother is Helen, a former Bollywood actress, who has co-starred with him in Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, and two sisters, Alvira and Arpita. Alvira is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri. Khan finished his schooling through St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai, as did his younger brothers Arbaaz and Sohail. Earlier, he studied at The Scindia School, Gwalior for a few years along with younger brother Arbaaz. Salman Khan made his acting debut with a supporting role in the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi. His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic family drama Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), one of India's highest grossing films. It also won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award, and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor Award.1990 saw one film release starring Khan, Baaghi: A Rebel for Love, alongside southern actress Nagma. The film was a box office success, followed by three hit films in 1991, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa and Saajan. Despite these early successes, nearly all of his 1992-1993 releases resulted in box office failures.

In 2000, Khan acted in films including Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. Chori Chori Chupke Chupke addressed the issue of surrogate childbirth; Khan played the role of a rich industrialist, who hires a surrogate mother after his wife becomes infertile. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles. In 2002 he starred in the delayed release Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam which was semi-hit at the box office. Khan's following releases failed at the box office until he made a comeback in 2003 with Tere Naam. The film was a major earner and his performance was praised by critics, with film critic Taran Adarsh noting, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid..." He subsequently continued his success at the box office, with comedies like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) and No Entry (2005). 2006 was an unsuccessful year for him when Jaan-E-Mann and Baabul both failed to do well at the box office. Khan started 2007 with the ensemble film Salaam E Ishq which failed to do well at the box office. His next release Partner did very well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster verdict. He next appeared in his first Hollywood movie, Marigold: An Adventure in India opposite American actress Ali Larter. Telling the love story of an Indian man and an American woman, the film was a major failure, both commercially and critically.

Khan starred in three films throughout 2008, all of which underperformed, though his second film of the year, Heroes, met with praise from critics. Khan hosted the second season of 10 Ka Dum in year 2009 which turned out to be even more successful than his first season as host of the game show in year 2008. The show got very high TRPs for Sony Entertainment Television and according to reports, the show helped Sony TV regain its third position in the Indian television ratings. Khan's first film of 2009, Wanted directed by choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva was declared a smash hit in its first weekend of release itself. The action film turned out to be a huge success. The movie got more recognition for its slick action sequences performed by the actor himself. In the same year, he appeared in two other films, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna and London Dreams, both of which were failures at the box office. Khan's first release of 2010, Anil Sharma's Veer underperformed at the box office. Khan's recent film, Dabangg produced by his brother Arbaaz Khan, was released on September 10, 2010. It made a record opening at the box office and was declared an all time blockbuster and the second-highest grossing Indian movie of all-time. For his performance in Dabangg, Khan received his first Star Screen Award for Best Actor and first Stardust Award for Star of the Year – Male and was nominated for his sixth Filmfare Award for Best Actor. Anupama Chopra from NDTV wrote about his performance, "It's the role of a lifetime and Salman Khan bites into it like a starving man devours a feast. He inhabits it fully, strutting and swaggering and even, spoofing himself."

On 28 September 2002, Khan was arrested for rash and negligent driving. His car had run into a bakery in Mumbai; one person who was sleeping on the pavement outside the bakery died and three others were injured in the mishap. Charges of culpable homicide were laid against him, but later dropped, and he was found not guilty. However, he will still have to stand trial for a series of lesser charges pertaining to the incident. On 17 February 2006, Khan was sentenced to one year in prison for hunting an endangered species, the Chinkara. The sentence was stayed by a higher court during appeal. On 10 April 2006, Salman was handed a five year jail term for hunting the endangered Chinkara. He was remanded to Jodhpur jail, and remained there until 13 April when he was granted bail. On 24 August 2007, the Jodhpur sessions court, upheld the 5 year jail term for Khan in the Chinkara poaching case by turning down his appeal against the 2006 judgement. At the time of the hearing, he was busy with a shooting elsewhere, while his sister attended the proceedings. The day after, he was placed under police arrest in Jodhpur after a Rajasthan court upheld a prison sentence passed upon him for poaching. On 31 August 2007, Khan was released on bail from the Jodhpur Central jail where he spent six days.

In September 2007, a Muslim organisation issued a fatwa against Khan for attending a Ganesh puja. Stating that Islam prohibits idol worship, the organisation stated that unless Khan reads the kalma — the declaration of faith — all over again, he will not be considered a Muslim. In addition to that, Khan celebrated the Ganesh Mahotsav with his family in Bandra; they brought a Ganesh idol for one day for the sake of his stepmother, Helen. Khan was among the group who danced in the procession. His father responded by criticising the fatwa and stated that Salman had done nothing wrong. Another fatwa was raised against Khan by a Muslim cleric in India, mufti Salim Ahmad Qasmi, for allowing Madame Tussauds in London to make a wax model of himself. The mufti said the statue is illegal and the Sharia forbids depictions of all living creatures. This created speculation in the press, as no fatwa was released against fellow Muslim, Shahrukh Khan who also has a wax model in the museum. Salman responded by saying, "These fatwas are becoming a joke". The fatwa was raised upon Khan again in September 2008, for celebrating the Ganeshotsav Hindu ceremony at his home with the family. The fatwa was raised by the member of the Advisory Council, Jama Masjid, in New Delhi. Once again his father, Salim, questioned the latest fatwa and criticised those who raise it.